Prime Minister Turnbull is hurling vast sums at naval shipbuilding, prior to the July 2, 2016 Election, in the hope that it will slow any lead by the Labor Opposition and the Nick Xenophon Team (NXT). If Labor wins (meaning yet another new Prime Minister!...) the Labor heartland shipbuilding State of Victoria (neglected by Turnbull) is likely to win more of the shipbuilding action.

Submarine Matters thinks its time to
tabulate the avalanche of Australian shipbuilding announcements on:

May
3, 2016 – Turnbull Government Budget which included a Defence
Budget Media Release and within that a “Naval Shipbuilding Strategy”
Section. On May 3, 2016 the Government announced that
the Defence Budget 2016-17 had risen to A$32.3 Billion [US$24.24 Billion]
representing 1.9% of GDP.

The 2016-17 Defence Budget for 23 million Australians (when added to the
list) will exceed the Defence Budget for 60 million Italians.

Over
the next 10 years the Australian Government’s naval shipbuilding strategy will
invest around $90 billion in the naval capability and shipbuilding industry.

I’ve used figures from the February to May 2016 announcement to compile
the Table below.

$50 Billion + $5 Billion Combat
System. Expensive planning began years ago. Build at/nearTechport Australia, Adelaide. High
degree of interoperability with USN. Likely begin to enter service in early
2030s to around 2050. Rolling acquisition program to maintain a fleet of 12
subs as sub and ASW technologies develop. A review of strategic circumstances
and developments in submarine technology will be conducted in the late 2020s
to consider whether the configuration of the submarines remains suitable or
whether consideration of other specifications should commence.

Raytheon and/or Lockheed Martin participating in a Integration CEP for the AN/BYG-1 (and other components) Combat System - to be decided later in 2016.

6 xCollinsClass

Total sustainment costsaround
A$600 million/year. Mid-life upgrades will cost $Billions to extend life
into the 2030s when Shortfins will be enter service.

9 x Future Frigates (FFs)

$35 Billion build. Announced
April 18, 2016 has shortlisted: BAE Systems with the Type 26 Frigate; Fincantieri with the FREMM Frigate, and Navantia with a redesigned F100. First Pass Approval by Cabinet. Shortlist stage. Build
starts 2020. ASW, air warfare and land attack cruise missiles. Entering
servicefrom
the late 2020s. Replacing 8 existing ANZAC frigates.

12 x Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPVs)

$3 Billion to build. Will replace
the 13 Armidale Class patrol boats. Announced
April 18, 2016 has shortlisted:Damen of the Netherlands, Fassmer of Germany, and Lurssen of Germany. First Pass Approval by Cabinet. First
OPVs will begin build in Adelaide, 2018 before moving to Henderson, Perth,
when the Future Frigates begin construction in Adelaide in 2020.

2 x Replacement Replenishment ships

Contract announced
May 6, 2016 for 2 new Replenishment “Supply” ships to replace HMAS Success
and HMAS Sirius for A$640 million (total). New ships (Spanish Cantabria
class) to be built by Navantia in Spain. Can carry 2 - 3 MRH‐90 helicopters.

Naval combat helicopters being
accepted into service for AWDs and ANZAC Class Frigates’ anti‐ship
and anti‐submarine warfare operations.

21 x Pacific Patrol Boats (PPBs)

A$280 million (total) Austal to build
up to 21 steel-hulled PPBs in Henderson, Perth, beginning 2017. Announced
April 18, 2016. PPBs mainly for some Pacific Island nations.

hydrographic survey vessels

Current fleet of 2 x large and 4
x smaller to be retired from early 2020s.

3 x Hobart class Air Warfare
Destroyers (AWDs)

AEGIS equipped, being built in
Adelaide. In service by early 2020s.

2 x Canberra class

Landing Helicopter Docks (LHDs)
have just entered fleet.

8 x MRH‐90
helicopters

will support the LHDs.

4 more P-8As

Maritime surveillance and
response aircraft with ASW, anti-shipping, over sea and land intelligence
gathering capabilities in addition to 8 x P-8A’s already ordered, 3 more to
be ordered = total of 15 P-8As.

2 more Airbus

KC-30As

Multi-Role Tanker Transport
[MMRTT] [which can refuel P-8As] aircraft to bolster the Royal Australian Air
Force’s existing fleet of five = total of 7 KC-30As

COMMENT

Australia is undertaking the largest naval shipbuilding program in its history (this is including the WWII period when most major ships (cruisers, destroyers and the 2 post-war carriers) were built in Britain).With the many shibuilding programs competing for limited defence funds DCNS may be making efforts to commence the Shortfun program early.

Just prior to the July 2, 2016 Election the Coalition Government of Prime Minister Turnbull has been pouring money into shipbuilding because this allocation of scarce Australian funds
cannot be criticised by the Labor Opposition. This is because the money benefits
a key Labor constituency – the Shipbuilding Unions. Turnbull hopes that this money might drive a wedge between the Labor Right, the Unions and the anti-Defence Labor Left.

8 comments:

imacca
said...

Shorten did his budget in reply tonight and objectively, it was a good example of that art. Turnbull is toast, or maybe a roast with a few weeks left to cook?

The shipbuilding stuff is now politically neutral i reckon. ALP will "me too" on it, and the Libs will not get as much benefit as they could because they have faffed around too long after Abbott brought the "Local" aspect of the subs build into question.

I dont think that shipbuilding will be a wedge. ALP machine is to well oiled, tuned and focused for that this time around. Libs have been a rolling omni-shambolic cluster$%#^ since before Turnbull took over.

All that said, the overall plan for the Navy and future equipment is, actually, a good one i think. Thanks for tabulating it like that.

But, Libs have screwed up in too many other ways for it to save them politically. will have to read up more on the ALP's defense policies as they are what will be most relevant to 2020 now.

And yet the Budget allocation for defence fell back from 1.94 to 1.88% of GDP. Its the same party which has 'promised' an increase to 2%.http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/the-no-surprises-defence-budget/

Its quite a juggling act, to both promise future defence projects and show they are reducing government spending . The actual result is fake it all until the election.

Yes Turnbull's rushed series of shipbuilding announcements won't excuse his months of policy denial (especially concerning tax). Turnbull was quiet on the supply ships contract in Spain build - but he is vulnerable to ALP and Xenophon's criticism over that.

Submarine Matters

Director, Submarine Matters International. I analyse international trends, technical and political - mainly on submarines, sometimes on surface ships, aircraft and missiles. This website started in 2007. I have a Masters Degree (International Relations) High Distinction average. The best way to navigate this site is to put a keyword in the search box top left corner.